Her Majesty tagged me to post 8 random facts about myself.

1. I’m a total fiend for Dungeons & Dragons. I started playing in high school and continued as an adult. I’ve played a lot of other role-playing games as well. It’s been a few years since I’ve played now, but that’s only because I don’t know anyone else that plays anymore. If I did, I’d play even now!

2. As much as I love music, I’ve never been able to learn to play an instrument.  I’ve owned guitars and keyboards, but never had any success playing. I’ve been tempted to buy a digital drum kit, maybe I’ll have more luck with that!

3. I was once involved in a ~16 vehicle pile-up. I was car #3.  We came around a curve on the highway directly into the rising sun.  Someone ahead of me panicked and hit their brakes causing a chain reaction.  I was driving a ‘87 Dodge Daytona Shelby. The impact caused my seat to fully recline to the rear.  That left me rolling down the highway, trying to pull myself up to the steering wheel so I could move to the side of the road. While we waited at the side of the road, we witnessed a second multi-car pileup on the the other side of the highway.  It was an interesting morning.

4. I got to meet Thomas Dolby once. He was a speaker at a technology conference in New Orleans I attended. One of my co-workers was also a fan, so we took off at lunch that day to find a music store so we could buy CDs for him to sign after his presentation.  He was happy to chat with us for a few minutes and autograph our discs after his talk.  

5. I used to love to fly.  I’ve always loved aviation since I was a kid. But I have to admit that I really don’t like flying commercial anymore. All of the security concerns and the airlines packing passengers in like sardines, it’s just taken the romance out of it. Instead of something to look forward to, it’s a real chore these days.

6. I really don’t like my job much these days either. I’ve worked in IT nearly all of my adult life. I’ve worked various aspects of computing, from main frame operations to desktop support, programming, etc. I just don’t find it as interesting as I used to. I’d really like to “drop out” and do something more creative.  Once the kids are grown, I hope to make a radical career change… but I haven’t decided what yet.

7. If I had it all to do over again, maybe I’d be a CSI. The fact I’ve been watching a CSI marathon all day today might be influencing me. Or maybe it’s just that Sara Sidle is one hot nerd.

8. I’m a horrible packrat. I just seem to accumulate… stuff. It’s to the point I’ve actually thought about renting a small dumpster so I can just toss crap out wholesale.  I don’t even want to sort through it, I just want it gone! I’ve been feeling this urge to simplify for a while now. I have so much stuff I never use or even look at. I should probably just start going through it a little at a time, I just need to find the motivation to get started on it!